Piano desk



July 2, 1929. @,w, MacDow 1.719.016

PIANO DESK Filed Feb. 28, 1927 IN VEN TOR.A

l BY

ATT'ORNEY.

Patented July 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE WILSON MAoioow, or WATEETowN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOE To HENRY E. MILLER rrANo coMrANY, 0E EoSToN, MASSACHUSETTS, A `ooErornATroN 0E MASSACHUSETTS.

PIANO DESK.

Application led February 28, 1927. Serial No. 171,444. i

This invention relates to improvements in piano desks. More especially it relates to a movable piano desk, having an adjustable music rack associated therewith, which affords protection at all times for the portion of the piano below it.

So far as I am aware, the movable piano desks heretofore used have been so constructed that when the rack or easel is raised inposition to support the music there is no protection against dust or other foreign matter that may fall onto the wires and piano mechanism. Inasmuch as most people desire to have their pianos open the greater part of the time whether being actually played-or not, the gradual accumulation of `dust and `the like becomes a serious menace both to the proper functioning of the mechanical parts and to the tone quality of the instrument. The present invention is directed to `the elimination of such a' menace. l

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a piano desk which will always serve as a coverfor the front portion of the piano ture of the construction that this desk'may be moved inward or outward to vary the distance of the music from the eyes of the player, and that the rack which is associated therewith may be set at different angles of inclination when supporting the music and may be housed within a space in the desk when the piano cover is to be closed. In a. preferred embodiment of the invention the desk comprises a pair of end members having grooved edges for engaging rails on the inner sides of the piano case, and having bars connecting their adjacent front and lrear corners. Alongthe inner lower edges of these end members and bars is attached a cover board that fills the space dened by them. In the recess above this cover board the music rack, together with its brace, can be closed down below the level of the end members. When raised, the brace engages suitably notched side pieces and thus holds the rack at an inclination. This raising of the rack, however, does not expose the portion of the piano below the desk, because the cover board still remains to protect whatever is underneath. The desk is proportioned so that when forward with its front edge nearly over the rear of the key board, the back of the desk is still under the cover over which it is placed. It is a fea-v or lid of the piano. Thus the desk at all times will serve as a protection for the pins, action and forward portions of the wires which have heretofore been exposed.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whateverfeatures of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings:

VFigure l is aplan view of a piano embodying the desk of the invention, showing the rack down; Y

Figure 2 isa plan of the improved desk alone Showing the rack up;

Figure 3 is an end View of an end-member of `the desk; and j Y vFigure 4 is an elevation, in section on line 4-4-of Figure l,.showing a portionof the piano protected by the improved desk.

Referring more particularly to the drawings a piano case 10 has a cover 12 withlforward section 12a foldable 'back upon therear section as shown.1 The piano desk 14 is supported movably on railsflG-which -are fasgrooves `18 in the end members 20, Between the latter along the front and back edges ofthe desk are bars 22 whichV are joined to `the end members by cleats 24. The music rack 26 is hinged to the front bar 22a and can be adjusted at different angles with the horizontal by means of a brace whose legs 28 are hinged to the back of the rack and whose cross member 28u engages notches 30 in side pieces 32 close by the inner edges of the end members. IVhen not supported uprightly by its brace the rack can be turned down and laid between the end members 2O and the bars 22 in a space surrounded by them. Vhen thus down, the rack and end members together would serve as a cover for the portion of the piano below, but ordinarily when the rack is down the lid is turned forward and the piano as a whole is closed.

It is when the lid is back and the rack is up that the danger from falling dirt is present, and to eliminate this the present invention provides a cover board 34, which fits tightly between the endmembers 20 and bars 22, whose lower inner edges are undercut to receive it. This board 34 makes of the piano deska solid cover, as it were, which efl'ectually protects the wire pins 36,

tened to the sides 10a of the case and enter the frontv ends of the wires 38, the mute pieces 40, and all the action A which is below the space occupied by the desk. Preferably the desk is made Vdeep enough, in the rearward direction, so that when pulled as far forward as one would wish its rear edge is still under the lid l2, as shown in Figure 4. rlhus the movable desk, having an adjustable music rack which can be liiited up, is withal a protection for the portion of the piano below it, preventing dust, torn pieces .of music or other things from dropping onto the action or accumulating on the wires. As a consequence the mechanism is not interfered with and the original tone of the instrument is not disturbed as heretofore by a. collection of foreign matter.

I claim as my invention:

- l. A piano desk adapted to be moved inward and outward in apiano case and comprising. a music rack which can be raised from the plane of the desk to an langle there with and a cover board underlying the rack when ydown and covering that portion of the piano below, which would be exposed when the rack is raised.

the easeto permit inward and outward -movement of the deskg'bars connecting the front yand, back edges: of saidy end members;

ka board fastened to said members and bars and covering the space devined by them; and

ya music rack, overlying said cover board when down, and adapted to be adjusted in an upright position at an inclination to said cover board.

3. A piano desk for a piano having a lid that can be folded backward comprising means at the ends of said desk for engagingthe case to permit inward and outward movement of the desk and a rack which can be raised from the plane of the desk to an inclination therewith; the said desk having an uninterrupted closed surface throughout its extent and being so proportioned that when moved forward said surface extends rearward underr the piano lid.

4t. A pia-no desk adapted to form a cover for the portion of the piano below it, comprising a pair of end members engaging the sides oi the desk movably, and a cover board immovably connected to said end members and forming therewith a continuous unopen surface.

5. A piano desk adapted to Jform a cover for theportion of the piano below it, comprising a closure member extending across the piano case from one side to side and means mounting it thereon to permit inward and outward movement of the desk; a recess in the uppery side of said desk; and a music rack adapted when down to rest in said member of said desk.

vGEORGE wILsoN imcnow.v 

